What is Copyright, Plagiarism, and Fair Use?

According to Google Dictionary, copyright is the exclusive legal right, given to an originator or an assignee to print, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical material, and to authorize others to do the same.The Oxford Dictionary defines plagiarism as the practice of taking someone else’s work or ideas and passing them off as ones own.According to Stanford University Library, Fair Use is any copying of copyrighted material done for a limited and “transformative” purpose. This includes commenting on, criticizing, or creating a parody from copyrighted works. This can be done without permission from the copyright owner.Ways to Avoid Plagiarism1. Paraphrase- put the information into your own words2. Cite- follow the document formatting guidelines (APA, MLA, Chicago) given by your teacher3. Quoting- Quote the source exactly the way it is written. Make sure to cite your quotes.4. Cite your own material- if you are using materials that you have used previously, you must cite yourself. You do this the same way you would if someone else wrote it.5. Referencing- Include a reference page or works cited at the end of your research.